I LOVE the care and artistry taken to make this amazingly beautiful 4K disc!!! I wish "The Searchers" had been 4 hours long.....I didn't want to leave that world!
The scene in the doorway at the end where john wayne clutches his arm was an ad-lib tribute to the deceased friend and actor Harry Carey. It was kind of his calling card in films. His widow played the older lady who walks back in just before the scene.
The new restoration, while obviously presented in 4K on the disc, was actually at 13K! Each half of the frame was scanned at 6.5K and digitally stitched together by the restorers.
Having the superb Warner 4K disc of Rio Bravo, I was especially looking forward to The Searchers. I was not disappointed. This is one of the best restorations I have seen in years.
Star Wars is like a collection of George Lucas's favorite films. In addition to The Searchers, you can Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress to the list. It's very similar in structure. Also, the rope swing that Luke and Leia perform is pretty much a frame for frame copy of the one in Harryhausen's 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Don't forget Flash Gordon. It's possibly the greatest Mashup of all time.
I use a giant poster of this film as a part of my background when I make my videos. I also found a VHS at a thrift store for like 50 cents in a small town in Colorado. I just love this film, and what I've read of the novel is interesting as well.
Swings and roundabouts. You get A Bridge too Far. Somewhat inexplicable that Oz gets a British film in 4k before the UK does. I think you also got Cross of Iron first too although there are other 4ks of it.
Hi Eliot, I have read some comments on various websites where there are complaints about scratches on Criterion's blu ray discs. In one of the comments it was claimed that this started after Criterion changed its disc manufacturer from Sony Austria to Technicolor Poland. Is this something you are familiar with?
I have this disc, while it is very clean, and colors vibrant, sometimes it is too clean and too bright. A couple of scenes are blown out, almost as if they were AI generated. I say this with a great sense of validity as I have seen a mint archival print of the movie on two occasions, both at MoMA, and the colors are far richer, a bit darker at times, and more three dimensional. Still, I am glad I have it, and the original Blu ray, it’s just WB missed the mark a bit, as if they were making it palatable to this modern audience. BTW, the best looking VistaVision film on disc is Vertigo, and on film as well, with Searchers being a close second.
Both NORTH BY NORTHWEST and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS are no slouches in the VistaVision 4K uhd department either. VistaVision is restored in 6K for Paramount 4k uhds. NORTH BY NORTHWEST was remastered at 6.5K for it's 4K uhd debut. I haven't seen the new SEARCHERS disc yet. There is an SDR blu-ray version included as well and I'm wondering if it has a blown look as well.
We need more Vintage Classic 4ks .....more Westerns and also other classics, where is King Kong 1933 ! Gone with the Wind, Major Dundee in 4k full uncut version somewhere. What about El Dorado? these studios are sleeping bags.
i watched the searchers for the first time in april last year and was very excited but overall just found it a little slow and uninteresting unfortunately. i did think the cinematography and the colours were gorgeous and the performances were great, and this release definitely gets me in the mood to give it another try !
I never got the hype on this film. A plain and straightforward western. But all the reviews speak so marvelous things about the transfer that I'm considering to get it.
Maybe consider reviews of the film itself that also speak marvelous things about it (Dave Kehr's "Ford gave us the Great American Film in 1956" for one) first before declaring it plain or straightforward.
Never got the hype. Good film but not my go to Western. WAC usually does a good job, so my expectations are high going in. Maybe I'll try this one if it goes on sale.
I think there are many boutique cinema collectors going down a nostalgia rabbit hole with some of these Westerns, but I think they often forget that these are largely used as propaganda to help Americans deal with the genocide and crimes committed to “pacify” the West…I enjoy Elliott’s recommendations and I will take a look at this one, probably take it out from our local library but I’ve kind of grown wary of this need to use this technology to polish films that were in many respects produced for insidious reasons
amzn.to/3PpYXbX - The Searchers 4K UHD
I LOVE the care and artistry taken to make this amazingly beautiful 4K disc!!!
I wish "The Searchers" had been 4 hours long.....I didn't want to leave that world!
Warner Archive are the best in the business imo. The BluRay restorations always look immaculate so no surprise their first 4k is too.
Indeed! I can’t wait to see what their next 4K project will be.
The scene in the doorway at the end where john wayne clutches his arm was an ad-lib tribute to the deceased friend and actor Harry Carey. It was kind of his calling card in films. His widow played the older lady who walks back in just before the scene.
The new restoration, while obviously presented in 4K on the disc, was actually at 13K! Each half of the frame was scanned at 6.5K and digitally stitched together by the restorers.
@@lancestlaurent wow 😮
Having the superb Warner 4K disc of Rio Bravo, I was especially looking forward to The Searchers. I was not disappointed. This is one of the best restorations I have seen in years.
Got my copy today very excited to check it out.
Star Wars is like a collection of George Lucas's favorite films. In addition to The Searchers, you can Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress to the list. It's very similar in structure. Also, the rope swing that Luke and Leia perform is pretty much a frame for frame copy of the one in Harryhausen's 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Don't forget Flash Gordon. It's possibly the greatest Mashup of all time.
I use a giant poster of this film as a part of my background when I make my videos. I also found a VHS at a thrift store for like 50 cents in a small town in Colorado. I just love this film, and what I've read of the novel is interesting as well.
My copy is in the mail, based on your recommendation. I’m looking forward to it! Love John Wayne, but have never seen this one for some reason.
Excellent review!! It's a great western movie.
I agree with you! This is one of the best 4Ks I have seen! I've done my short review for it, but I still need to do my long review.
Good review, especially the information about the non release in Australia where I live and that the Blu ray is also region free.
Swings and roundabouts. You get A Bridge too Far. Somewhat inexplicable that Oz gets a British film in 4k before the UK does. I think you also got Cross of Iron first too although there are other 4ks of it.
The Searchers, such a masterpiece!
Hi Eliot, I have read some comments on various websites where there are
complaints about scratches on Criterion's blu ray discs. In one of the
comments it was claimed that this started after Criterion changed its disc
manufacturer from Sony Austria to Technicolor Poland. Is this something
you are familiar with?
I have this disc, while it is very clean, and colors vibrant, sometimes it is too clean and too bright. A couple of scenes are blown out, almost as if they were AI generated. I say this with a great sense of validity as I have seen a mint archival print of the movie on two occasions, both at MoMA, and the colors are far richer, a bit darker at times, and more three dimensional. Still, I am glad I have it, and the original Blu ray, it’s just WB missed the mark a bit, as if they were making it palatable to this modern audience. BTW, the best looking VistaVision film on disc is Vertigo, and on film as well, with Searchers being a close second.
Both NORTH BY NORTHWEST and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS are no slouches in the VistaVision 4K uhd department either. VistaVision is restored in 6K for Paramount 4k uhds. NORTH BY NORTHWEST was remastered at 6.5K for it's 4K uhd debut. I haven't seen the new SEARCHERS disc yet. There is an SDR blu-ray version included as well and I'm wondering if it has a blown look as well.
A lot of assumptions and unknowns in this take.
International collectors: "Will we get the 4K of The Searchers?"
Warner Brothers: "That'll be the day!"
Just had hatari 4k John Wayne usa release. Graveyard shift 4k on pre order. Greatest Western High plains drifter 4k simples 😊
You must see "Once upon a time in the west", is available in 4k now, Sergio Leone homage to John Ford❤🎞️🎥🎬
Day nine, and best 4K of the year is already out (at least for me...)
We need more Vintage Classic 4ks .....more Westerns and also other classics, where is King Kong 1933 ! Gone with the Wind,
Major Dundee in 4k full uncut version somewhere.
What about El Dorado? these studios are sleeping bags.
We definitely need 1933 King Kong
i watched the searchers for the first time in april last year and was very excited but overall just found it a little slow and uninteresting unfortunately. i did think the cinematography and the colours were gorgeous and the performances were great, and this release definitely gets me in the mood to give it another try !
Have you seen Pelle The Conqueror?
I never got the hype on this film. A plain and straightforward western. But all the reviews speak so marvelous things about the transfer that I'm considering to get it.
Maybe consider reviews of the film itself that also speak marvelous things about it (Dave Kehr's "Ford gave us the Great American Film in 1956" for one) first before declaring it plain or straightforward.
@@villain7140That's my opinion.
How much did you pay for that release 😮
Ordered this One
Best Western ever
Never got the hype. Good film but not my go to Western.
WAC usually does a good job, so my expectations are high going in. Maybe I'll try this one if it goes on sale.
Az ötödik pecsét (1976)
I think there are many boutique cinema collectors going down a nostalgia rabbit hole with some of these Westerns, but I think they often forget that these are largely used as propaganda to help Americans deal with the genocide and crimes committed to “pacify” the West…I enjoy Elliott’s recommendations and I will take a look at this one, probably take it out from our local library but I’ve kind of grown wary of this need to use this technology to polish films that were in many respects produced for insidious reasons
😂